Every documentary worth knowing about, month by month.
62 releases across 25 sources · updated 12 October 2026
Nothing matches that.
Netflix
Best friends Sam and Colby visit some of the world’s most haunted locations in search of paranormal evidence, trying to answer one question: Are ghosts real?
tv Netflix
Unlisted distributor
African wildlife and landscapes is brought to the screen like never before, using the latest technology to tell the most extraordinary stories from the continent and cutting-edge CGI to unearth the deep history and forces that shaped Africa's natural worlds.
tv Sky Go
Apple Original Films
A historic race to become the first to summit K2 in winter unravels into tragedy, exposing how ambition, ego, and the pursuit of glory can be as dangerous as the mountain itself.
digital also UK 2 Oct, US 2 Oct Apple TV
Unlisted distributor
As a Nairobi journalist probes a land battle entangling the local government and a powerful multinational corporation, covered wounds are revealed and family secrets are exposed.
theatrical also US 9 Oct
Unlisted distributor
In 2022, Salman Rushdie was preparing to deliver a lecture on the United States as a safe haven for writers when a man rushed the stage and, in 27 seconds, stabbed him 15 times. Airlifted to hospital, Rushdie survived, barely, and his wife Rachel Eliza Griffiths began filming immediately, capturing an unfiltered view of his recovery, return to life and how he regained his spirit and hope for the future.
theatrical also UK 2 Oct
Unlisted distributor
Composer Blair Coron takes his musical instruments, recording equipment and friends to the islands, glens and forests of Scotland to record directly in the landscapes that inspired the music.
digital
Unlisted distributor
BBC Documentary about the most famous Norwegian writer, Karl Ove Knausgård, author of My Struggle.
digital
Unlisted distributor
This documentary follows two long-lost Ukrainian friends, Arsalan and Nastya, as they reconnect in Germany after russia's full-scale invasion against Ukraine. Arsalan, an actor now in Frankfurt after time in a refugee camp, and Nastya, journalist and producer who stayed in Kyiv, reflect on the divergent paths their lives have taken due to the war. Through their conversations and therapy sessions, the film explores themes of displacement, identity, and the emotional impact of war on youth.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Discover the hidden stories Britain's southwest has to offer. From Foxes fighting on the streets of Bristol to Puffins looking for love on Skomer Island.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Meet the inspiring individuals and communities who work to protect our most beloved UK wildlife.
theatrical
Netflix
Michael Schumacher's first World Championship win roars to life through personal interviews and archival footage of the legendary 1994 Formula 1 season.
digital also US 2 Oct Netflix
Unlisted distributor
At a London community centre, facilitators and volunteers run a travel-themed session for people living with dementia and their families, friends and carers. Together, the group embarks on a playful journey: discussing past trips, revisiting these through theatre, and writing postcards to loved ones.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Ten-year-old Damilola Taylor was fatally stabbed in 2000 in a stairwell in Peckham, South East London, just metres from his home. 'Star Wars' star John Boyega, who also grew up in Peckham, speaks for the first time about being one of the last people to see him alive, sharing the fear and uncertainty that followed in the aftermath of Taylor's death. Boyega is joined by close friends and family members of Taylor, who reveal the events that led to his death and talk for the first time about the impact his tragic murder has had in shaping their lives.
digital
Unlisted distributor
“I have spent so much time playing a role that it’s almost impossible for anyone to know who I really am,” Karl Lagerfeld once proclaimed. The German fashion designer, creative director and cultural force, who dominated the world of fashion for more than seven decades, is finally revealed in ravishing detail.
digital also US 6 Oct
Unlisted distributor
A Wounaan teenager and a leader of their community venture into the Darién in search of a sacred bird. Along the way, they will face the dangers that threaten their territory and their culture.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
The Amnesty International UK explores the human stories behind protest and the growing pressures faced by protesters in the UK today.
digital
Netflix
Discover Martin Mull's restless reinvention from smoky folk clubs to primetime sitcoms to gallery walls, told in his own words and by the friends who watched it happen, including Steve Martin, Tom Waits, David Alan Grier and others.
digital Netflix
Unlisted distributor
Navigating Ireland’s haunted landscapes, ecological extinction and cultural suppression emerge as intertwined forms of colonial erasure.
digital
Unlisted distributor
The World Came Flooding In is an immersive VR documentary reconstructing memories of the eastern Australia floods in 2022, which is representative of similar events that happened recently in various parts of the world.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
digital also US 9 Oct
Greenwich Entertainment
André Leon Talley was a trailblazing fashion icon whose influence spanned nearly five decades. This documentary explores his legacy of inclusivity, elegance, and the fearless pursuit of authenticity. Interviews with Anna Wintour, Tom Ford and Diane von Furstenberg, among others, as well as never-before-seen footage, reveal Talley’s personal and professional challenges and remarkable triumphs.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Striving for fame, is that the right reason to be head over heels in the competitive music industry? It's no secret that the music industry is one of the toughest out there…creative slumps, isolation, the fear of 'not making it' and failure. So, we introduce The Hills Brothers, a brotherly duo of musicians, local to Portsmouth, who spend their nights hosting several Open Mic nights all over Portsmouth and Hampshire. Take a deeper look into why they find these Open Mic nights more than just a fun night to express yourself and your music. Understand why these nights create a community for musicians and why venues like Casemates are essential for the artists support.
limited
Unlisted distributor
Mucker provides a fascinating insight into the professional and personal life of the pioneering and award winning British documentary film maker Brian Moser.
limited
Unlisted distributor
"Great Maia" is an extra-special film of the "Dinosauria Animated Series", it is set in the Two Medicine Formation during the Late Cretaceous and follows a young first-time mother Maiasaura as she tries to protect her first clutch of eggs.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Dreamscape is a quest on the weight of times we never imagined would become our reality. In the quiet hours of sleep, when our defenses soften, buried emotions rise to the surface, often more vivid than waking life. For those shaped by migration and marked by generational trauma, dreams become both a refuge and a mirror. This film explores how the unconscious mind reflects collective and personal struggle. It journeys through the inner worlds we create to survive, to heal, and to simply endure whether that's building coping mechanisms through faith, art, somatics or activism.
limited
Unlisted distributor
Four iconic instruments, including The Wizard of Oz and A Star Is Born pianos, all lost in the 2025 Los Angeles Fires, are celebrated by their musicians, culminating in an animated send-off towards an imagined future, a Cosmic Symphony. Directed by Oscar-nominated composer Laura Karpman, and featuring John Clayton, Susie Chung, Starr Parodi and Diane Warren, Cosmic Symphony explores a truth that every musician knows - musical instruments have souls.
limited
Unlisted distributor
Director Gavin Lundy explores the resurgence of Glasgow's famous Barras Market only to find new questions of identity in a changing city.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Documentary following global superstar LISA during a transformative year away from BLACKPINK, the K-pop phenomenon that made her one of the world's most recognizable performers. Documenting a year of risk, reinvention, and self-discovery as LISA begins to define her next chapter.
theatrical also UK 12 Oct, US 12 Oct
Unlisted distributor
A feature-length documentary exploring the profound inner metamorphosis of Ukrainian civilians from the creative sector who chose to enlist as soldiers to defend their country. The film maps the deep psychological and lifestyle shifts experienced by musicians, artists, and filmmakers as they stepped away from civilian art to enter the realities of war.
theatrical
National Geographic Documentary Films
An intimate and cinematic portrait of astronomer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan, we explore his romance with partner Ann Druyan and with science. Featuring exclusive audio recordings, archival clips and animation, along with interviews with his family, friends and colleagues. With the full support of Sagan’s family and friends, We Are Made of Star Stuff presents a fascinating look into the life and career of one of the world’s most inspiring and revolutionizing scientists of our time.
premiere also US 1 Oct
ARTE
This iconic statue was a gift from France to the new-born American Republic and was the first crowd-funded monument of all time. A symbol of emancipation and freedom, which took two decades to be completed. The film features original 3D virtual reconstitutions of Auguste Bartholdi’s Atelier in Paris and travels back in time to bring viewers at the heart of the Statue’s original construction, revealing the founding ideals of our democracies.
limited
Unlisted distributor
In secret conversations on the rooftops of Tel Aviv at night, the systems behind Israel's calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza are revealed by the people who designed and operated them.
theatrical also UK 16 Oct, US 9 Oct
Unlisted distributor
Obscure, aging, and living on the outskirts of London, writer of supernatural fiction Quentin Crisp asks himself a fundamental existential question: ‘Who am I?' This feature-length film-essay is structured around readings of Crisp’s own zuihitsu of the same name, which, in essence, is the story of his life. As we follow Crisp on a walk deeper into the ‘‘little wood’’ of his private landscape, the binaries of success and failure begin to fade away.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
From Tom Seymour creator of the VHS Massacre Trilogy. Enter the Television is a feature-length documentary exploring the dark corners of television from obscure commercials to unconventional cable programming. It examines the evolution of media through an underground lens, revealing how independent voices survive within systems controlled by powerful media corporations.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Heavy Weekend 02: The French police have put the illegal drift racers of Paris on final notice, so they've took off on the run across the border into Belgium. Hanrahan rides along with the crew as they dodge police and takeover Brussels.
digital
Unlisted distributor
ACT:TOMORROW is the fourth world tour by TOMORROW X TOGETHER. The tour commenced on August 22, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea.
theatrical also US 24 Oct
Unlisted distributor
A powerful return to roots, this concert captures Black Sabbath in peak form - reuniting to deliver classic hits with raw energy and legendary precision.
theatrical also US 28 Oct
National Geographic Documentary Films
An intimate portrait of two people bound by love, ambition, and the pursuit of the impossible. Elite ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson fell deeply in love while reaching the pinnacle of their sport. Their drive sharpened into a shared dream: to climb and ski the direct North Face of Mount Everest—the most difficult and dangerous climb on the mountain and the most coveted ski line on Earth—something only a handful have ever achieved, and no one has successfully skied down.
theatrical also UK 30 Oct, US 30 Oct
Unlisted distributor
A son of one of America’s wealthiest families creates a communist revolutionary base in rural Massachusetts as a means of disrupting the capitalist system he grew up in, but has now come to despise. It’s the starting point of an astonishing journey.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape.
limited
Unlisted distributor
"Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down" is a documentary film about British social policy. The focus is on the political struggle against neoliberal austerity policies, which have their origins in the hated Thatcher government. The film features the former socialist MP Dave Nellist, who is now the national chair of the Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition and Hannah Sell, the general secretary of the Socialist Party. The film features a local election campaign in the miners' town of Nuneaton, students campaigning against an increase in tuition fees and refuse workers from Birmingham striking against massive cuts to their wages.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Beyond follows people living with and beyond cancer as they discover strength, connection, and a new sense of possibility through climbing. Set between indoor walls and wild mountain rock, it is a powerful story about recovery becoming adventure.
limited
Unlisted distributor
A stunning delve into George Michael's 1988 Faith Tour, as shot live at the famous Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. This exclusive footage, assembled from a 14-camera shoot captured on 35mm over two nights (30–31 May 1988), features the 24-year-old pop star at the height of his powers.
theatrical also US 11 Dec
ARTE
A small rural community in Ireland welcomes in a major, global oil company with open arms but just 10 years and numerous oil spills later, that dream turns into an unimaginable nightmare. 50 lives lost in a tragedy that silenced and divided the community and still haunts it to this day.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Nearly one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives. David Nicholas Wilkinson is one of them, twice over. 1 in 2 follows Wilkinson through his own treatment, where he discovers a steep rise in bowel cancer among people far too young to be screened for it, and far too young, it seems, to be believed.
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Documentary on the making and legacy of Mulberry Street featuring new interviews with cast and crew
theatrical
Unlisted distributor
Thirty-four days before she's sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. What begins as an intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon becomes a mind-bending three-year journey into the abyss.
theatrical also UK 20 Nov, US 16 Oct
Unlisted distributor
United by a shared oath to save lives, three American doctors—Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—work in a besieged hospital in Gaza and return to the United States to fight for the patients and colleagues they left behind.
limited also UK 20 Nov
Unlisted distributor
Heavy Weekend 03: Unique access to the most mysterious organisation in France. Jake Hanrahan travels with the bizarre syndicate known as "814SSR". They shoot guns, host fight clubs, and make money in the underground. Yet still, they insist they're not a gang and are simply doing hardcore trolling. The truth? Decide for yourself...
digital
Unlisted distributor
Sir Chris Bonington’s return to Torres del Paine, 62 years after the first ascent of the Central Tower. At 91 years old, and while living with Alzheimer’s disease, the documentary accompanies Bonington in a profoundly human return: an attempt to reconnect with memories that time has erased, but that the Patagonian landscape still seems to guard. During the filming, Chris once again set foot on the territory of Estancia Cerro Guido, closing a circle between past and present, between the epic of mountaineering and the fragility of memory.
limited
Nothing dated yet. The weekly run will fill this in as dates are announced.
Unlisted distributor
Through five portraits of relatives and mentors, five expressions of resistance, Pegah Ahangarani sketches her life story. Drawing from personal archives, home videos, street protests footage, newspapers, and recorded voices, she retraces more than 40 years of Iran’s history. From the early days of 1979, until the war that began in 2026, she pieces together intimate and collective memories, forming the portrait of a country shaped by political repression and in constant hope for a revolution.
theatrical also UK 8 Jan, US 8 Jan
Unlisted distributor
One person’s perspective of the year 2026 shown through an accumulation of 365 unedited shots.
digital
Unlisted distributor
Pierre-Auguste Renoir is one of the world’s favourite artists, a founding member of the Impressionist movement and a constantly evolving artist. With exclusive access to the National Gallery’s new exciting show of the same name (3 October 2026 – 31 January 2027), Exhibition on Screen will bring Renoir’s world class works to cinema audiences. Be transported back to a Parisian summer of love through the eyes of a true visionary. An unmissable opportunity to fall in love with Renoir this winter.
theatrical
Twenty-five distributors, broadcasters, streamers and sales agents, checked every week. A source showing nothing dated is quiet, not broken; one showing not on TMDB needs its releases added by hand.
| Source | Kind | Based | This window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dogwoof | In cinemas | UK | nothing dated |
| Magnolia Pictures | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| Kino Lorber | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| NEON | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| Oscilloscope Laboratories | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| Greenwich Entertainment | In cinemas | US | 1 title |
| Icarus Films | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| Sideshow / Janus Films | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| First Run Features | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| Cinema Guild | In cinemas | US | nothing dated |
| HBO Documentary Films | On television | US | nothing dated |
| PBS (POV & Independent Lens) | On television | US | nothing dated |
| CNN Films | On television | US | nothing dated |
| ESPN Films / 30 for 30 | On television | US | nothing dated |
| National Geographic Documentary Films | On television | US | 2 titles |
| BBC Storyville | On television | UK | nothing dated |
| ARTE | On television | FR/DE | 3 titles |
| Netflix | Streaming | Global | 3 titles |
| Apple Original Films | Streaming | Global | 1 title |
| MUBI | Streaming | Global | nothing dated |
| Hulu / Onyx Collective | Streaming | US | nothing dated |
| Cinephil | Sales slate | Israel / Global | nothing dated |
| Submarine Entertainment | Sales slate | US | nothing dated |
| Autlook Filmsales | Sales slate | Austria | nothing dated |
| Deckert Distribution | Sales slate | Germany | nothing dated |